Projectile



' JAMES ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1949. J, D. JORDAN PROJECTILE Filed April 6, 1944 Patentedoct. 25, i949 VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE James nlm-dan', Washington, D. C., assigner to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary o! the Navy Application April 6, 1944, Serial No. 529,811

This invention relates generally to explosive projectiles and more particularly to projectiles of the armor piercing variety. Y Armor piercing projectiles in use up to the present time occasionally fail to operate because the impact produced by contact of such a projectile with the target is not sulcient to fire the inertia-operated detonating device employed in the projectile. This has been due largely to the fact that the projectiles are so heavy that the target fails to exert a sufficient retarding effect thereon.

One of the principal objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved armor piercing projectile incorporating novel means designed to assure detonation thereof upon contact with a target.

Another object of the invention is to provide a projectile of this character employing electrically operable detonating means of extremely simple and reliable character, and which is positive in operation, whereby detonation is assured.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an armor piercing projectile so constructed that the electrically operated detonating means neither weakens the projectile nor affects its ballistic characteristics.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an axial sectional view of a projectile incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of the cir- :i

cuit closing switch;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the base portion of a projectile provided with a modified circuit-closing switch; and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the nose portion of a projectile showing still another modified form of circuit-closing means.

Referring now numeral I indicates generally the body of the improved projectile, which may be formed of heavy metal of the type usually employed for this purpose and provided with an axial recess or cavity 2 which carries a charge of high explosive 3. Near its rear end the cavity is internally threaded, as shown at 4, to receive a base block or plug 5.- The base block is designed to contain set-back switches, safety devices, and/or other components.

to the drawing in detail, the

The ogive B `of the projectile may be of the conventional generally cone shape, and an armor-piercing cap 1 is shown attached thereto by means of tongue portions 'IA bent into recesses BA, said cap having a shoulder 8 formed near its rear end to receive the rim of an elongated hollow sheet metal windshield 9.

A circuit closing device, the body of which is designated I0 is mounted in the nose of the windshield by means of screws I3, and includes a forward contact II and a rear contact I2. Contact II is mounted or formed on the windshield at its forward end and grounded thereto, while rear contact I2 is mounted in close proximity to said forward contact but insulated therefrom by its supporting body IIl, which is formed of suit. able insulating material. It should be understood that, while the contacts II and l2 are nor'- mally disengaged, they are mounted in closely spaced relation so that but a relatively small amount of force is needed to distort the windshield sufciently to cause them to engage each other. The wiring arrangement is clearly seen in Figure 2 of the drawings and, by referringA to this view, it will be observed that the contact I2 is connected, by an insulated conductor I 5, to one terminal of a battery I4, which may be housed in the base-plug 5. The conductor I5 extends through passages I6 and I1, formed in the body I and cap 1, respectively.

While the passages I6 and I1 are herein shown arranged in the body and cap near their outer peripheries, said passages may be formed axially of the cap and body if desired. It will be understood that the passages I6 and Il should be of the smallest diameter possible to accommodate the conductor I5 so that there will be no material weakening of the body of the shell, or of the armor-piercing cap 1.

The other terminal of the battery I4 is connected to one terminal of an electrically operable squib or primer I8, and the other terminal of the squib is connected to one terminal lead of a fuze I 9. The fuze components are not shown in detail and it will be understood that the fuzing means may if desired be electrical, and that setback switches, time delay devices, and other electrically operated apparatus may be included. The other terminal lead from the fuze circuit is grounded to the body I which is electrically connected to the contact II through the cap 1 and the windshield 9.

In operation it will be understood that the contacts II and I2 of the switch I0 are normally separated prior to i'lring, as are any setback switches or other safeguarding elements in the plug .5. When the projectile is fired, however, al1 circuits to the squib become closed, with the exception of the circuit including the contacts H and l2, so that the projectile is ready for tiring upon contact with the target. Thus, when the forward end ot the windshield 9 contacts the target, the contacts Il and I2 will become engaged, closing the circuit to and ring the squib to detonate the projectile. A

Inasmuch as the switch is mounted at the iotward end of the' projectile, it will be closed instantly upon engagement of the projectile with the target, so that forces of inertia will not be required to close the detcnating` circuit.

In Figure 4 modied switching means is shown other than a frangible layer or coating of insulating material 22 between the body of the.

projectile 2U and the armor-piercing cap 2i. Electrical connection is made to the cap 2| and to the body, and the circuit is closed by the puncturing of the coating or layer 22 which function will take place when the cap engages the target.

In Figure 5 of the drawing another modiiication is shown. In this view, a relatively sensitive spring switch 23 is mounted in the plug 5.. The switch is shown as of the iiexible reed type and is designed to be momentarily closed upon deceleration such as occurs when the projectile strikes even a relatively light target. The circuit connections for this switch are the same as those pf the previously described modiiications shown.

Jhr example, the reed may be insulated from the 1plug by its supporting body 33 and have a contact designed for engagement with a xed contact 34 mounted on the plug.

In the modiiication shown in Figure 6 the switch is eliminated and in its place an insulated contact 24 is axially mounted in the nose of the windshield in the insulating bushing 2l. In operation, when the projectile contacts a metallic surface, such as the wing of an airplane, the electric circuit will be closed by the bridging 'of the front end of the contact 24 and the rim of the windshield by a portion of the target sur- 4 Y tace. Aportionofthetargetilshownindotted linesatl'l.

` Whatisclaimedis:

1. A high explosive projectile including a body having an explosive charge therein, normally open-circuited electrically operable exploding means for the charge, a windshield carried bythe body, and two electrical contact portions carried by theV windshield and exposed at the nose oi the latter. and designed to be bridged by an electrically conductive target to complete the circuit ot the exploding means.

2. A high explosive projectile including a body having an explosive charge therein, a normally open-circuited electrically operable exploder for the charge, a windshield carried by the body. said windshield being of tapering contour and formed of electrically conductive material. an insulating section rigidly carried by and exposed at the surface of the windshield appurtenant the apex thereof, and contact means for said exploder comprising a contact element carried by said insulating section and insulated thereby from the windshield. whereby the open circuit oi said exploder may be completed between said contact element and the windshield. upon simultaneous engagement of said windshield and said contact element with an electrically conductive target.

JAMES D. JORDAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi' record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STAT@ PATENTS Number Name Date V 571,909 Scribner Nov. 24, 1896 914,371 Davis Mar. 2, 1909 1,243,641 Sutterileld Oct. 16, 1917 1,711,693 Ruhlemann May 7, 1929 1,829,212 cox .f oct. 27, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS l Number Country Date 521,095 Germany Oct. 27, 1931 

